Mission Matters: April 26, 2016

This week’s “Parish Table Talk”:  Interfaith Prayer Service; Parish Planning blog series; Administrative Professionals Day; Dr. Tim Hogan on family life; Workshop for Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest ; FDLC’s  Tabat scholarship award; plus this Thursday’s Blog post.

Watch for this Thursday’s Post: Parish Survey Series

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner by Julie St. Croix, Coordinator of Pastoral Leadership Formation.

Interfaith Prayer Service

A large group of faith leaders from religious communities serving in the Baltimore area participated in a prayer service on Monday, April 25th at the Basilica of the Assumption. The service brought together people of all faiths to pray for peace, healing and unity in Baltimore on the one year anniversary of the unrest that followed the death of Freddie Gray. A number of city leaders attended the event including Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, and State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

•  Reflecting on your parish’s survey results: Last Thursday, we introduced the first blog from our parish planning series created to help you digest and address the major topics included in the parish survey more effectively. Please let us know your thoughts and ask your questions in the comment section below. And wait for our next blog in the series this Thursday!

•  Celebrate your administrative staff this Wednesday: April 27 is National Administrative Professionals Day.  Show your appreciation for all they do and the generous spirit with which they do it by celebrating your support staff with a small (or big!) gesture this week.

• Family  Life presentation:  All parish catechetical leaders are invited to reignite the vision and purpose of our task to teach about the beauty and truths of God’s plan for family life with speaker Tim Hogan, May 2 at Holy Family in Middletown or May 3 at St. Matthew’s in Baltimore. RSVP to Rosanne Deludos at rdeludos@archbalt.org or 410-547-5405.

• Sunday celebrations in the absence of a priest:  What should you do when a priest is not available to celebrate Mass  in your parish? This workshop presented by Ximena DeBroeck, Assistant Professor of Scripture at St. Mary’s Seminary, will guide you through Eucharist, the rite itself, and its difference from Mass.  It will take place May 14 at St. Mark’s, Catonsville, from 8 A.M. to 11 A.M.

• Tabat scholarship for liturgical studies: Do you know of someone who is pursuing a degree in liturgical studies or related field?  Are you, yourself, in graduate school? Each year, the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commission (FDLC) awards $1000 in honor of Sr. Joan Tabat, OSF, to individuals who apply for the scholarship by June 1.  Additionally, be sure to browse through several other grants and awards offered by FDLC.

 Questions? Feedback? Please leave a comment below.